Weight distributing shoe sole



June 30, 1936 B. J. SILVER EIGIIT DISTRIBUTING Sl -10E SOLE Filed March 6, 1935 INVENTOR BENJAMIN .J. SILVER ATTO R N EY Patented June 30, 1936 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE 22 Claims.

The invention relates to an improved method for manufacturing shoes particularly ladies shoes of the elevated heel type and more particularly the invention relates to an improved method of contouring the upper or foot engaginggsuriace of the inner-or other interior or foot engaging sole but the invention is not restricted to women's shoes and is equally applicable to children's and men's shoes as well as rubber foot wear and all foot covering.

The invention also relates to a shoe which can be manufactured in standard sizes with a sole contour of least degree of longitudinal arch and to supply with the said basic shoe a few inserts or attachments for the sole to fit the greatest possible number of variants from said sole contour in the basic shoe as an accommodating shoe service.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a shoe which will be comfortable to the wearer while walking and which accordingly is designed to permit the articulation of the bone skeleton structure of the foot as the bones forming the longitudinal and metatarsal arches rollwith the peculiar action of these parts while walking.

Incidental to this general object another object is to provide a simple form of shoe which will assist in preventing foot strain by maintaining the normal approximation of the bones of the foot in its passive as well as active condition.

This inventionis not to be confused with the known practices of inserting arch supporters in shoes. At best the present practices simply involve the insertion of lifts or filler pieces more or less crudely fitted into any type of shoe in an attempt to cause the shoe to more closely fit the particular foot of the wearer for whom the shoe is so modified. Even under the most approved practices the known forms of arch supports or other inserts are for the purpose of filling up gaps or clearances between the persons foot and the interior or surface inner sole of the shoe and heretofore no attention was paid to the fact that the foot contour was not a fixed factor but was modified first by the fact that with a high heeled shoe the body weight was varied from the normal, flat or stockinged foot condition and was continually varying from this constant heel imposed variant during the act of walidng. Even admitting that under known practices it was possible by the means of arch supports and the like to fill up gaps between the shoe interior and plantar surface of the wearer's foot while relaxed, this condition promptly changed as soon as the wearer placed her or his body weight on the shoe and thereafter when walking the shifting body weight and the articulating foot skeleton changed the initial fit of the shoe and it was just by chance that shoes with or without the known forms of inserts are comfortable. It is, of course, economi- 5 cally impossible to custom fit each shoe purchaser with her or his individual peculiarities in sole contour.

Accordingly, the invention herein features for each standard size of shoe the providing of what 10 may be called a basic sole contour designed to fit feet of that group which is characterized by having the maximum low arch characteristics but not so low as to be regarded as flat footed or ab-- normal. In the following claims such expressions as a foot with longitudinal arches of lowest curvature, or with maximum low arch characteristics, or lowest arch contour, are understood to mean that the longitudinal arches are lower than the average and that anything lower would be considered as fiat-footed or'otherwise abnormal and not intended or possible to be fitted in the ordinary shoe trade. The reference to metatarsal area is to be understood as that area which is beneath the transverse dome of the metatarsal bones, that is, which is immediately in rear of the heads of the metatarsal bones, beneath the anterior half of the shanks of these bones and which includes in Fig. 2 the forward portion of insert 22 being somewhat the shape in plan of an eclipse centered about the forward fastener 25 and which laps the center of the cushion l4 and projects rearwardly almost to the rear fasteners 24.

This invention is not intended to meet the needs of those who require special shoes under the present day practices but is intended to meet the ordinary commercial and mass requirements of what may be regarded as normal feet but taking into consideration the fact that normal feet so-called of the same size possess marked distinctions in sole contour and nearly every human foot is strained from what should be its natural contour.

It is proposed herein to supply the shoe fitter with two or three differently formed inserts from which he can select that one which his experience teaches him is the insert best fitted to meet the peculiar requirements of the foot which he is en= deavoring, to fit and to which the customer reacts most favorably. In the manufacture of the basic shoe and associated inserts, they are 00- 5c ordinat/ed so that in effect three or four different shoes can be formed at the time of fitting from.

a single basic shoe of the proper size. Each of these shoes, or more particularly, each of the sole outlines of the shoes so formed has been designed not for the purpose of filling up gaps between the shoe and the wearers foot asheretofore known but are designed from actual foot contours while walkingin a shoe with the heel elevation present in the basic shoe. It has been found that with each succeedingly higher heel and with the subsequent succeeding elevation of the heel socket there is a mathematical progressive shifting of the vertical line of body weight on the foot further towards "the toes. Accordingly, in designing the inserts herein featured this modification by virtue of heel elevation and shifting of body weight has been taken into consideration, as well as the changes which take place in both the longitudinal and metatarsal arches during the act of walking.

Particularly to compensate for the articulation of the anterior metatarsal arch during the act of walking the present disclosure also features the providing of a cushioning area in the sole of the basic shoe to provide a resilient support for all of the heads of the five metatarsal bones and to provide a more resilient support for cushioning the heads of the three middle metatarsals than is provided for the body supporting heads of the first and fifth metatarsal bones leaving the rest of the sole with the usual relatively rigid or semirigid surface characterizing shoes now'in general use.

While shoes of the type outlined may be formed by refinements in known practices, it is suggested that the sole for the basic shoe be formed on a last, the sole forming portion of which has been formed to simulate the sole of a person having the lowest arch contour as hereinbefore outlined. In

order to obtain this outline it is suggested that a person having such low arch contour be caused to stand barefooted or in stocking feet on a support of moldable material with the body weight disposed in its normal position and, of course, without heel elevation. It is herein suggested that.

there may be a slight heel elevation for use particularly with those persons who through long usage of high heels have induced permanent mechanical changes thus causing an abnormal effect to the foot contour, but in general it is the objectiye of this disclosure to form the sole contour of the basic shoe as closely as possible to that of a foot in its normal position supporting the body weight. M

With a contour so formed the basic shoe is completed with some suitable cushion or plurality of different cushions installed as part of the sole and located beneath that portion of the foot which contains the heads of the metatarsal bones. Eyelet elements of fastening devices are located in the portion of the sole posterior to the cushion containing part and in proper location to receive the presence of such an insert should such insert be required and the usual paper or stocking sole inserted in place to cover the eyelets and otherwise finish the shoe interior. While the physical embodiment of the invention herein selected for illustration features detachable means for secur ing the sole modifying inserts in place, it is obviously possible to employ other known means for securing both the inserts and cushions in place, as by gluing or cementing the same to the sole either as a factory proposition or at the time the shoe is sold, and in this event it is, of course, not necessary to place the eyelets in the basic sole. The shoes so formed can be sold as such without the introduction of any inserts and shoes so formed have been found to be comfortable for in its engagement with the foot. I

those who have low arched soles as previously discussed.

While it is obviously possible to provide a large number of inserts of different sizes, contours, and forms, so that some one when inserted selectively in the basic shoe would give the ideal contour, it would be practically impossible for the average shoe store to carry so many different shaped inserts and as a practical matter the store would be supplied with about three or four forms of inserts which will adapt the shoe to the maximum number of foot contours of that particular size.

The inserts are characterized in each instance I by having their underside conform snugly to the metatarsal .area or metatarsal dome being that 15 portion of the sole in advance of the heel and in v rear of the cushioned area and extending over that area known as the longitudinal arch and extending forward to a position immediately in' rear of the heads of the metatarsal bones and 20 as well as to be easily removed when occasion demands.

Extreme care 'is necessary to be exercised in the conformation of the upper or foot engaging side of the insert, as this cannot be a haphazard conformation controlled by whether the wearer thinks that it feels all right. The wearer is ordinarily unable to ascertain whether or not any particular pair of shoes is injuring his or her feet except under those conditions where misfit is so pronounced as to cause discomfort. The sole engaging configuration of these inserts must be developed scientifically as a laboratory proposition and they are selected in each instance to conform to the mean or average configuration of the sole while the wearer is walking in a shoe with that definite heel elevation intended in the final shoe. In practice this sole conformation is attained for each size shoe to be manufactured of a small number of. variants and by use of soft cushions and other known surface forming methods obtain the average form of the foot while walking. It has been found that the maximum sole movement is beneath the metatarsal arch and most disposed to strain, and to meet this condition the invention herein features the cushioning support which, of course, varies in its elevation with every step the person walks. There is some movement in the area back of the metatarsal arch and least movement at the heel. The inserts are purposely made of the least possibleoverall dimensions so as to maintain the largest portion possible of the sole as a fixed factory construction and at the same time provide the requisite area of modification back of the cushion supports to provide a continuous sole contact from the cushion area in the forepart oi the shoe back to the heel socket and thus provide a firm, snug engagement between shoe and foot so as to distribute body weight over the largest possible supporting area, particularly designed to provide body support in the human foot, even under those conditions where the high heels tend to reduce what would otherwise be a normal supporting area of the shoe Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from a consideration of the method features of the disclosure and from an inspection of the accompanying drawing and in part will be more fully set forth in the foHowing particular description of one method of practicing the invention, and theinvention also consists in certain new and novel modifications of the preferred method and other features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Fig. l is a view in side elevation and partly in vertical section through a shoe constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention in so far as the basic shoe is concerned and provided with one of a set of inserts shown in full lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan view looking down upon the inner sole when removed from the shoe. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail perspective views of two different forms of inserts.

In the accompanying drawing there is illustrated a shoe l0 provided with a heel H and an inner sole 12. The inner sole is provided with a layer B3 of cushioning material at that part of the sole which is designed to support the heads of the metatarsal bones. Preferably this cushioning area is formed of three parts, a central, relatively soft and high area I4 for supporting the heads of the three middle metatarsal bones and two side, lower areas 15 and it having less height than the middle area and designed to support the heads of the first and fifth metatarsal bones. Preferably the area It is of maximum height beneath the head of the second metatarsal bone. The sole is also provided with the usual heel cup It and in general it is to be understood that except for the conformation of the upper or foot engaging side 07. the inner sole the shoe is intended to follow conventional design and construction. The upper surface of the sole is characterized by having a conformation constituting a facsimile of the sole of a person having low arches'and which may be formed by the method hereinbefore indicated. The inner sole is provided in rear of the cushion area with two or more eyelets or female eyelet snappers l8 and I9 and which are normally concealed by the stocking sole 26 so that the basic shoe as illustrated in Fig. 1 can be sold as is in those cases where attachments as hereinbefore described are not required at the time of purchase.

Referring to the showing in Figs. 4 and 5, there are illustrated two different forms of inseits' 2i and 22 both of which have been designed at the factory to fit the basic shoe illus trated in Fig. 1. In each case the inserts are provided with an underside 23 which snugly fits the portion of the basic shoe for which they are designed and are provided with pins or studs 24% and 25 designed to coact respectively with the eyelets i8 and W to form fastening means for securing the inserts in position in the shoe. The upper surfaces 26 of the inserts are designed, in each case, to fit the walking contour of the sole of some particular person or, more accurately to fit the walking contour of a plurality of persons for which the particular insert was designeclto accommodate, all as above outlined in the description of the method featured in the disclosure. The section inserts become progressively shorter at the heel end thereof with progressive increase in heel height having as an ob jective the providing in general better weight distribution and increased protection against foot strain as the center of body weight tends to shift towards the toes with increase in heel elevation and in Fig. 5 the insert is shown shorter than the insert shown in Fig. 4.

In operation the shoe fitter will pick out from stock the basic shoe which comes closest of itself so that in this case the fitter pays no attention to pairs of shoes but will initially fit each foot with that shoe which comes nearest to providing a fit. If this initial fitting is done carefully, complete comfort will be attained to the wearer in those cases where the foot has a particularly low arch. In those cases where the foot of the person being fitted has a higher arch up to and beyond what might be called a normal or average arch, or presents a mechanical defect as is found in most cases it is necessary to insert one of the attachments herein featured. The fitter simply removes the paper or stocking sole, exposes the eyelets and by trial fits to the foot that particular form of insert which just fits the foot contour in that portion back of the heads of the metatarsal bones. The insert so selected'is located in the shoe by the interengagement of the fastening means; the paper or stocking sole is reinserted so as to conceal the presence of the insert and the shoe refitted. The eyelets may also be exposed through the sock-lining and concealed from view by a section of sock-lining adhered over them and removed when section insert is to be used, or the shoe as originallymarketed may be provided with an insert which will be so thin that it possesses the least possible effect in modifying the contour of the inner sole and thus avoid any necessity of separating the stocking sole unless a more modifying form of insert is needed. These section inserts are to be used neither as a metatarsal-arch support nor a longitudinal arch support as commonly understood in commercial art. At all times and in their various usages the inserts herein featured are combining contours longitudinally and transversely coinciding as a unit, and always in combination and at no time are they to be used in the sense of raising or lifting the bony structures forming the foot arches but at all times to aid in the proportionate distribution of body weight thus helping to maintain the normal approximation of body weight, to the proper bone structure taking into consideration the variation and changing requirements.

It is, of course, obviously impossible to insure an absolute custom fit for each particular purchaser as the foot may vary within the shape of two succeeding insert designs but these designs are formed so as to meet the maximum possible number of conditions and in any case there has been provided a more accurate fit than is possible under present shoe fitting practices.

' Shoes manufactured and fitted as thus de scribed have been found to be comfortable and for the most part have avoided the disadvantages inherent in shoes now on the market and have provided a cheap form of shoe which for most people constitute the equivalent of a custom made shoe preventing and protecting the foot from strains. The fact that the insert can be replaced has an advantage over custom made shoes in that if the particular insert does not prove satisfactory in use, it can be readily replaced by a different form of insert until that form is selected which gives the maximum comfort. While the shoes herein disclosed are not intended primarily for corrective purposes, it is quite obvious that they may be so used as for instance in the case of fiat footedness, progressively higher and higher inserts could be used from time to time until eventually the fallen arches are restored to their nor= mal position.

Iclaim:

1. In the art of forming a two-part sole for heeled shoes comprising a basic sole and a replaceable attachment, the method which consists in causing a person having a foot with arches of maximum low arch characteristics to stand in bare or stocking feet on moldable material withbody weight normally distributed thereon and without heel elevation, fabricating a basic shoe sole with its foot engaging upper surface fitting the contour so formed in said znoldable material, providing a cushion in said basic sole so formed at the place where the heads of the metatarsal bones are to be supported in the finished shoe and extending slightly both forwardly and rearwardly from said place, forming a weight distributing attachment having its underside fashioned to snugly engage the portion of said inner sole posterior to the cushioning area, fashioning the upper portion of said insert to conform to the sole of a wearers foot having a. relatively higher arch than that of the first namedperson and further as modified by the fact that the foot is encased inthe completed heeled shoe, and locating the attachment in place on the basic sole.

2. 1n the art of forming heeled shoes, the

method of designing an inner sole configuration for such shoes which consists in causing a person having a foot with arches lower than the average contour to stand in bare or stocking feet on moldable material with body weight normally distributed thereon without heel elevationfabricating a basic shoe sole with its foot engaging upper surface fitting the contour so formed 1' said molclable material and providing in'said sole a cushioning area at the place where the heads of the metatarsal bones are supported, forming an attachment with its underside conforming to the contour of the basic sole posterior to the cushioning area fabricating the upper surface of the attachment to conform to the configuration of the engaging part of the sole of the wearer while walking in the completed heeled shoe, and com pleting the shoe to form a commercial article.

3. In the at of forming heeled shoes, the method of designing an inner sole configuration for such shoes which consists in causing a person having a foot with arches lower than the average to stand in bare or stocking feet on moldable material with body weight normally distributed thereon without heel elevation, locating the place Where the heads of the middle three metatarsal bones come on the sole configuration, fabricating a shoe sole with its foot engaging upper sur= face fitting the contour so formed in said moldable material, providing in said sole a cushioning area. at the place where the heads of the metatarsal bones are located, locating a preformed pad in the shoe, conforming the same to the limited portion of the sole which is in advance or the heel, in advance of the rear portion of the shank and posterior to the portion engaged by the heads of the second, third and fourth metatarsal bones, prefashioning each pad before it is fitted in the shoe so as to cause the limited portion of the sole on which it is disposed to conform to the portion of a wearer's sole with a higher arch than the first named person when'suchwearer is wall-ring in the completed heeled shoe, while leaving the balance of the sole as originally formed.

4. A shoe including a heel and an inner sole, said inner sole having an up er including aocaroo the conventional heel socket and provided with a recess at the portion of the sole supporting the heads of the metatarsal bones, means at said recess providing a resilient cushioning support for the part of the wearer's foot beneath the heads of the metatarsal bones, and said cushioning support having its upper surface curving laterally with its high point spaced inwardly from the heads of both the first and fifth metatarsal bones, the portion of the shoe sole surface posterior to said cushioning means having that distorted configuration of the longitudinal arch which is imposed on the wearers foot by virtue of the fact that the rear or heei portion of the foot is raised surface with cushioning means beneath that part of the sole which supports the heads of the five bones forming the metatarsal arch and having a projecting insert portion in rear thereof conforming to the configurations of the longitudinal arch of a foot of lower than average curvature,

said cushioning means constituting a single unit having a middle resilient area fitting under the heads of the three middle bones and having two lateral areas of less resiliency fitting under the heads of the first and fifth bones.

6. A shoe sole having an upper ioJot engaging surface with cushioning means beneath that part of the sole which supports the heads of the five bones forming the metatarsal arch, said cushioning means constituting a single unit having a middle resilient area fitting under the heads of the three middle inetatarsai bones and having two lateral areas of less resiliency fitting under the heads of the first and fifth metatarsal bones, the

middle area being of curved form having its maximum height at that point which comes beneath the head of the second metatarsal bone and run .ning in directions from this point.

'I. A shoe sole having an upper foot engaging surface with cushioning means beneath that part of the sole which supports the heads of the five bones forming the metatarsal arch, said cushioning means constituting a single unit having a middle resilient area fitting under the heads of the three middle bones and having two iateral areas of less resiliency fitting under the heads of the first and fifth bones, the middle area being oi curved form having its maximum height at that point which comes beneath the head of the second metatarsal bone and running in all directicns from this point, the sole engaging surface merging without break from said high point in the cushioning area laterally beneath the heads of the other bones and longitudinally into the area which receives the body weight distribution.

A. sole for a shoe having an upper surface conforming in the portion in rear of the toes to the configuration of a person's sole in stocking or bare feet and said upper surface provided with a recess at the place where the heads of the meta.- .tarsal bones rest. a fillerior said recess constituting an integral unit having a central portion raised above the end portions and curving both transversely and iongitudinally of the shoe downby the elevating effect of the shoe heel thus shifttion with projecting inserts conforming in the portion in rear of the toes substantially to the contour of the sole of a person in bare or stocking feet and provided at that portion which is to support the heads of the metatarsal bones with a preformed insert having a. top surface defining a continuous curve having its maximum elevation beneath the head of the second metatarsal bone and curving downwardly in all directions from said point of maximum elevation.

10. A shoe including a sole having a cushioned area at the place where the heads of the second, third and fourth metatarsal bones are located, said cushioned area being raised above the adjacent portions of the sole surface and convexly shaped between the heads of the first and fifth metatarsal bones considered transversely of the length of the shoe, said sole provided posteriorly of the cushioned area with an element of a fastening means, and an easily removable stocking solo covering the cushioned area and said fastenelement.

11. A shoe including a sole having a cushioned area at the place where the heads of the metatarsal bones are located, said cushioned area being raised above the adjacent portions of the sole surface and convexly shaped between the heads of the first and fifth metatarsal bones considered transversely of the length of the shoe, said sole provided posteriorly of the cushioned area with an element of a fastening means, a. preformed curved surface insert replaceably engaging and fitted to the part of the sole covered thereby, partly overlapping said cushioned area and projecting rearwardly therefrom, said insert provided with a coacting fastening element engaging the first named element, said elements coacting to locate the insert inprefixed position in the shoe, and an easily removable stocking sole covering the cushioned area and said fastening element.

12. A shoe including a sole having a cushioned area at the place where the heads of the metatarsal bones are located, said cushioned area being raised above the adjacent portions of the sole surface and convexly shaped between the heads of the first and fifth metatarsal bones considered transversely of the length of the shoe, said sole provided posteriorly of the cushioned area with an element of a fastening means, a preformed curved surface insert replaceably engaging and fitted .to the part of the sole covered thereby, partly overlapping said cushioned area and projecting rearwardly therefrom, said insert provided with a coacting fastening element engaging ..the'first name d\element, said elements coacting tolocate the 'iinsert in prefixed position in the shoe, and a stocking sole overlapping the cushioned area and the replaceable insert.

13. A shoe having a sole provided at the portion which supports one or more of the heads of the metatarsal bones with a cushioned area, a replaceable preformed insert having its forward end overlapping the rear portion of the cushioned area, extending rearwardly therefrom and terminating in advance of the heel socket, said insert having opposite faces curved and its underside conforming to the configuration of the part of the sole which it engages and having its upper surface formed to a prefixed foot contour, and fastening means for replaceably securing the insert in position. V

14. In the art of forming the upper surface of a sole for a shoe having a heel, the method which consists in causing a person having a foot with arches of relatively low contour to stand in bare or stocking feet' on moldable material with body weight normally distributed thereon without heel elevation, fabricating a shoe sole with its foot engaging upper surface fitting the contour so 5 formed in said moldable material, causing another person with the same size foot but with a relatively higher arch contour to form an impression in moldable material under conditions where the heel is elevated to the extent desired in" the finished shoe, and forming an insert for the fabricated shoe sole which will have a configuration to fill the space between the two surface contours so formed.

15. In a shoe, a sole construction including a basic sole coextensive with the foot engaging area of the shoe, said sole provided in longitudinally spaced relation to both its heel and toe portions with means projecting above and thus modifying the upper contour of the basic sole, said means including a cushioned support for the heads of the second, third and fourth metatarsal bones,

a second support immediately in rear of the place which supports said heads thereby to support the metatarsal area, said second support having its rear edge terminating in advance of the heel and said edge feathered to cause its upper surface to merge without break into the top surface of the heel portion of the sole, said second support also providing an upwardly curved edge to support the inner lateral portion of the longitudinal arch, the upper surfaces of said means as a whole presenting to the underside of the wearers foot a substantially unbroken curve.

16. A sole for shoes provided midlength with two contour modifying elements projecting above the surface of the remainder of the sole and one merging into the other, and coacting to form a structure approximately T-shaped in plan, the element which forms the head of the T disposed to support more than two of the heads of the metatarsal bones and the other disposed to support the metatarsal area immediately in rear of the heads of the metatarsal bones, and the other element having its forward end overlapping the first named element.

17. A sole for shoes provided midlength with two contour modifying elements projecting above the surface of the remainder of the sole and one merging into the other, and coacting to form a structure approximately T-shaped in plan, the element which forms the head of the T disposed to support more than two of the heads of the metatarsal bones and the other disposed to support the metatarsal area immediately'in rear of the heads of the metatarsal bones, and said other element forming the stern of the T, having its inner longitudinal side edge curving upward to conform substantially to the lateral curvature of the inner longitudinal arch. 60

18. A sole for shoes provided midlength with two contour modifying elements projecting above the surface of the remainder of the sole and one merging into the other, and coacting to form a structure approximately T-shaped in plan, the

element which forms the head of the T disposed to support more than two of the heads of the metatarsal hones and the other disposed to support the metatarsal area immediately in rear of the heads of the metatarsal bones.

, 19. A sole for shoes provided with a transversely extending cushioned area confined longitudinally to the area which supports the heads of the second, third and fourth metatarsal bones and a separate section extending lengthwise of 7 5 Hil the sole projecting rearwardly irom the first named area and forming the support for the ione'itudinal area between the heel portion and the place which supports the heads or the metatarsal iccnes, said separate section including the metatarsal area and which area is composed oi at least one hali of the anterior portion or the shafts of the metatarsal bones.

2@. A sole for shoes provided with cushioning means providing a cushioned area confined loneitnolinally to the area which supports the heads of the second, third and fourth metatarsal homes, and another cushioned area extending from the first named cushioned area centrally and length- Wise of the sole and supporting the longitudinal area hetween the heel and heads of the metatarsal homes, said other area including the metatarsal area and which other area includes more than half of the anterior portion of the shafts of the metatarsal loones.

21, A shoe including a sole having its upper surface provided with a recess at the portion or the sole supporting the heads or the metatarsal hones, means at said recess providing a resilient cushioning support for the part of the wearer's aoeareo root heneath the heads of the metatarsal bones, said cushioning support having its upper surface curring laterally; with its high point spaced inwardly from the heads of both the first and fifth metatarsal hones, end the portion 01' the surface 5 posterior to said cushioning means including a longitudinal arch support.

22. A sole for shoes provided mid-length with a cmhion constituting a preformed contour modiiyina means projecting above the surface of the 10 remainder oi the sole, said cushion being-wider at one end than at the other, the wider end being suhstantially coextensive with the width of the sole and disposed to support the heads of the second, third and fourth metatarsal bones, the-l5 narrower end being substantially centered transversely oi the sole and disposed to support the metatarsal area immediately in rear of the heads of the second, third and fourth metatarsal bones and said cushion having a top surface defining a continuous curve with its maximum elevation beneath the head of the second metatarsal bone and curving downwardly in all radial directions iroin said ce-int of maximum elevation.

BENJAWN J. SILVER. 25 

